


Problem Child

by dracox_serdriel



Series: Another Chance at the Brass Ring, or Season 9 Fan Fiction [12]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 09, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel Tablet, Angels, Angels are Dicks, Being a Prophet Sucks, Big Secrets, Bunker Fic, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Destiel - Freeform, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gen, Heaven's Trials, Innocence, Keeper of the Word, M/M, Men of Letters, Mild Language, Monster mash, Nature of Creation, Nature of Grace, Philosophy, Phoenixes, Prophets, Purgatory, Reapers, Redemption, Slash, Souls, Taking down the word, The Three Fates, Trials, Vampires, Werewolves, fates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-18
Updated: 2013-05-18
Packaged: 2017-12-23 06:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracox_serdriel/pseuds/dracox_serdriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kevin Tran visits the Men of Letters Headquarters for December Break with a plan straight from The Angel Tablet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Street Light

**Author's Note:**

> **Spoilers** : All episodes through 08x20 Pac-Man Fever.

_A very long time ago..._ Metatron waited for the next instruction patiently. He never imagined the honor he had now, not just writing the Word, but also knowing it. He knew nothing of its burden, nothing of the secret he was soon to carry. In this moment, he only knew the simple pleasure of the work before him. He was happy.

"The Grace of an angel is fluid. When an angel dies, the Grace returns to its source," God dictated. 

Metatron wrote. His mind, his thoughts, registered the information, and he wanted to ask, 'How would an angel ever die?' But he didn't. 

"In this way, the angels, as children of God, never leave him, even in death."

Metatron transcribed precisely and neatly as God continued the dictation.

"The power of souls, as before noted, is different than that of Grace. Two souls together, under the right circumstances, can produce a third soul completely unique from all other souls. Humans beget humans.

"No number of angels can produce a new, unique Grace. As rare instance may have it, Grace can be shared between two that remain unique and separate in nature, but the shared Grace will forever connect the two. Thus, there is no circumstance that will allow angels to beget angels, for all angels have the same father.

"Yet souls and Grace share the same nature because they come from the same stock. All matter in the universe is energy at rest. Living matter, then, is energy at rest imbued with Life, another and entirely separate Energy, which is the Soul, the Spirit, or the Grace of the individual.

"The soul is raw Energy, but Grace is pure Creation, a specialized form of Energy, just as the Spirits of demons are complete Power and the Spirits of monsters are total Chaos. The difference from one Energy to another is not a matter of Kind or Kin, but instead a matter of a prism of Light.

"For when Light is whole (that is, all colors of the prism remain equal) the brightness is absolute. As colors are removed or set out of balance, the Light's brilliance reduces, and the color of the Light changes. To return the Light back to its original vividness, one must rebalance the colors, add back in that which has been lost. 

"Thus, Spirit, Soul, and Grace are all from the same Energy, and this Energy is mutable in every possible direction."

Metatron finished writing down what God had said. He nearly fell out of his seat when he realized the next words were spoken to him, personally.

"Metatron, you have tears," God said.

The archangel hadn't realized that, and he didn't know that for the very first time, he felt the deepest kind of sadness any angel could feel. 

"I – I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be sorry. Do you know why?"

Metatron wasn't certain. How do you speak to someone who knows every thought in your mind? But he spoke anyway, "Every enemy our soldiers face. All the monsters, the demons, all the lost souls. They all have the capacity to become whole again?"

"They do."

"Then why don't they?"

"You can ask every single one why, and each time you will hear a different answer. And don't forget, there are those who do become whole again."

"I am – I... "

"You feel."

Metratron found this new word confusing, but it seemed right. "I feel overwhelmed."

"Do you know why I chose you for this?"

"I thought it was my handwriting," Metatron replied.

"Your handwriting is part of your making. In that way you were made for this, but so were others. I chose you, Metatron, as the sole scribe because you alone are humbled by knowledge."

Metatron knew this was true, though he would never have phrased it so eloquently himself. "Wasn't I made that way?" he asked. 

"To be is to change, and howsoever you were made, you have also changed."

"Does that mean that I can become – that I can lose what I am?"

"Angels can fall, Metatron, your brother proved that."

Metatron flinched at the memory of Lucifer. "That can happen to me?"

"He is your brother, and he was made just like you. The differences between you two lies in the choices you make."

 

 **Princeton, New Jersey**. Kevin Tran sat alone in his bedroom. He stared at the clock. 1:43 AM. Two more minutes to go. 

He clutched his bag tighter despite his already-white knuckles. 1:44 AM. One more minute to go.

Every electronic flickered once, twice, and one more time. Abruptly, Kevin found himself in the Bunker.

"Hi, Castiel," Kevin said to his ride.

"Hello Kevin."

"Where are Sam and Dean?"

"Asleep."

"Didn't they want to say hello?" Kevin asked. He saw Castiel's expression and added, "You didn't tell them, did you?"

"I mentioned it, but not the specifics. You should go to bed. I made a room for you."

"Wait, what?"

"If Dean wakes up, my absence will be noticed. I need to get back to bed."

"Woah, TMI. Which room is mine?"

Castiel showed Kevin to the made-up guestroom and proceeded back to his own bedroom. He took a moment before he got into bed to watch Dean sleep; there was something very comforting about it. Cas wondered if any other angel ever had moments like this, where they drank in a little part of the world only to find themselves overwhelmed.


	2. Dead or Alive

Sam rolled over in bed, his arms reaching out across the pillows. The familiar surrounding was comforting, but something was missing.

He smelled bacon, and his stomach rumbled. He stretched as he got out of bed, carefully and thoughtfully. His nose led him down to the kitchen.

He expected Dean, or maybe even Cas but not -

"Kevin?" Sam said.

"Morning."

"What are you – "

"Doing here? Yeah, I thought Castiel told you about all this like, days ago, but apparently not."

"Cas brought you here?"

Kevin flipped pancakes. "Yeah, last night."

"Is everything okay?"

"I'm on December break."

"That – doesn't answer the question," Sam replied. Without thinking about it, he set the table with an extra place for Kevin. 

"You wanna know? Go get Cas."

"Uh, not a good idea."

"Huh? I thought angels don't sleep?"

"They don't," Sam said casually. "But Dean does."

"Right, of course," Kevin replied. "So, how have you been?"

 

The smell of bacon was more than enough to coax Dean out of his bed early. By the time he and Cas came to the kitchen, Kevin had finished the pancakes and eggs, and Sam had told him about Dodge and their last case.

"Kevin?" Dean asked. "What're you doing here?"

"You said you'd tell them," Kevin shot at Castiel.

"I planned to, but – there was much going on."

"Much going on?" Dean repeated. "Kev, please tell me you're okay and this is not about some demonic asshole finding you."

"No, no," Kevin replied. "I'm on December break."

"And?" Sam said.

"We thought this would be the best time to, uh, set something in motion," Castiel added. "Kevin will be safe here at the Bunker."

"Why wouldn't Kevin be safe in New Jersey with his mom?" Sam asked.

"Because of this," Kevin said as he produced a small box carved with sigils.

"Hex box?" Sam asked.

"Sort of, it keeps the objects and knowledge of whatever's inside hidden from prying eyes," the prophet replied. He opened the box and showed them a notebook and the Angel Tablet.

"Is that – " Sam began. 

"The Angel Tablet?" Dean finished. He glared at Castiel. "You said it was safe, no one could find it, not even us. It's been with Prophet-Boy the whole time?"

"Yes," Kevin said defensively. "And it has been safe. The only people who can see it are people I show it to. I brought it here because I'm done and I wanna stash it with the Demon Tablet."

"You're done?" Sam asked. "Meaning – "

"You translated the Angel Tablet? While doing your first semester at Princeton?" Dean cut his brother off. He muttered, "Overachiever."

"That's what we need to set in motion, the trials of the Angel Tablet," Castiel said. 

"You want to board up Heaven?" Sam asked.

"The trials don't close the Gates of Heaven," Kevin asserted. 

"Okay, then, what do they do?" Dean asked.

"According to the tablet, every angel in creation is uniquely made. Not two angels can make a third, unique angel, because the angels share a single father."

"No angel babies, got it," Dean summarized. "So what?"

"Hell's demons come from burning away parts of the human soul, making them crave and strive solely for power," Kevin explained. "Heaven's power stems from the Angelic Host."

"That's not good news, given the circumstances," Sam said. "A lot of angels have died."

"Precisely," Castiel said. "And according to Kevin, the tablet speaks to that exact problem. When the Angelic Host diminishes, new angels cannot be made from angels."

"But, what, they can be made from humans?" Sam asked as a joke. Kevin and Castiel exchanged soulful looks. 

"Seriously?" Dean asked. "That's your plan? Turn all the souls in Heaven into Angels? That's – that's crazy."

"No, not all the souls," Kevin snapped. "It's a voluntary process. The souls of people who want to serve as soldiers or healers or whatever take on a process to distill Grace from the Soul."

"Like a brewery, but instead of beer, we're getting angels?" Dean said skeptically. "Really?"

"They won't be like the angels you've met," Cas said. "They have human souls, so they will understand human emotions much better than angels. And they won't be as powerful, but they will have power over illness, demons, monsters – this is a good thing, Dean. Heaven's numbers grow thinner with each passing year. In a few decades, there won't be enough to guard the souls in heaven, let alone do any of their work on earth."

"I don't mean to insult you, Cas, but most of the angels we've met were dicks. Is it really a bad thing if they all just stayed in Heaven?"

Castiel tilted his head.

"I don't mean you," Dean added.

"Dean, you've used holy water as a weapon for many years," the angel began. "Did it ever occur to you to ask why it worked? It's just water that's had a few words spoken over it, and those words aren't a spell."

"So, what, you're saying angels bless the holy water?" Sam asked.

"A class of Cherub is responsible for imbuing holy objects and blessings with power. Holy oil, holy water. Vows taken by humans. If they leave, holy water will no longer be a weapon among other things," Cas explained. 

"Awesome."

Sam weighed in. "Let's say we get on board with this. The last trials took us months to do, and Crowley found out about it quickly. You think we can finish these with no one noticing?"

"Yes," Kevin replied.

"How?" asked Dean.

"For one thing, I've translated the entire tablet already. And for another, we're not trying to lock anyone away here," Kevin said. "Sit down and eat, the food is getting cold. We can argue after."

They gathered at the table and ate, even Castiel, who realized that he enjoyed food when shared with others.

 

 _A very long time ago..._ Metatron rested.

"You have a question?" God asked.

"I – am curious," Metatron said quietly.

"Ask."

"Why are there trials? And why these particular acts?" 

"To let anyone, even the very best individual, change the shape and nature of the world in one motion would be dangerous. The trials ensure multiple parties assisting, and as for the particularity, they follow the same pattern as the trials to close the Gates of Hell. 

"The first entails bravery, strength, and loyalty. Without these traits, no one can hope to complete such a task.

"The second requires knowledge of the other planes and of the nature and movement of souls. Only someone with wisdom and imagination can hope to succeed. 

"The third demands humility in pursuit of new knowledge as well as compassion towards those considered enemies, because as you realized earlier today, every one can become whole once more."

"Am I to write that for the prophet?" Metatron asked.

"No, no. Some things the prophet will understand by revelation of the word through the mind, but the rest will fall to the revelation of the soul."

 

Sam cleared the dishes to the sink, and Castiel washed them. He could utilize his powers and clean the lot of them in seconds, but Kevin needed time to explain the plan to the Winchesters. 

"These trials," Dean said, "what are they? Don't dress'em up, okay?"

Sam joined them at the table.

"The first trial is to eliminate a traitor of heaven."

"Eliminate?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, it's not specific, it's like, 'stop' or 'impede,'" Kevin tried to explain. "Killing one would work, I guess, but it could also be about reforming a traitor."

"And the second?" Dean asked.

"Rescue an innocent from Purgatory and deliver the soul unto Heaven."

"An innocent from Purgatory?" Dean asked. "How would an innocent soul even get into Purgatory?"

"The tablet didn't go into detail, but I feel like – " Kevin stopped. "Sometimes I get an understanding, even when the words aren't there."

"Okay, Prophet-Boy, lay it on us," Dean insisted.

"Some species don't take to the soul until you have fed," Kevin explained. "Vampire. Rugagru. But some species turn the soul right away, and some are born."

Sam said, "Like shape shifters." 

"I guess – " 

"And the last trial?" Dean interrupted.

"To resurrect an angel who died for humanity," Kevin said. 

"I'm sorry, what?" Dean asked.

"How – how?" Sam asked. 

Kevin sat back in his chair. "According to the tablet, when an angel dies, its Grace returns to the source."

"Let me guess, there's some big Fountain o' Grace in Heaven," Dean said. 

"No, you idiot," Kevin replied. "The source, as in God. The Grace returns to God."

"Is that how I was resurrected?" Castiel asked as he joined them at the table. 

"I think so."

"So, what? We just go up to God and ask him?" Sam asked. "I mean, if God has the Grace, then the only way we could get it is to find him, right?" He made a gesture indicating he needed a minute before he left for his room. 

"You two are serious about this?" Dean asked. 

"Sam shut the Gates of Hell, but the demons are finding ways back to earth," Cas answered. "And much of that fault lies with me."

Dean replied, "Because of the civil war and Purgatory?"

"Crowley dredged up so many secrets when trying to find it, like how to transport souls from Purgatory. Before only reapers could bring a soul to Purgatory; they couldn't pull a soul out. After I took in all those souls, anyone with the right abilities could move freely in and out of Purgatory, with or without souls in either direction."

"Haven't there always been rogue reapers? That's not your fault."

Cas replied, "Had I not helped Crowley, none of this would be happening."

"You don't know that - " Dean began, but Sam interrupted when he returned carrying something in his fist. 

"We'll be needing this," Sam said, holding out Dean's old necklace. 

Dean asked, "What – where did you get that?"

"I pocketed it after you threw it out."

"And you've had it all this time?"

"Dude, it was in the Impala," Sam said. "Surprised you didn't find it when you were living with Lisa and Ben."

"What is it?" Kevin asked. 

"This pendant burns hot in when near God," Sam said, but Dean stopped that train.

"You can't be serious about – "

"Why not?"

Dean turned to Cas and asked, "How long did you spend looking for God? Almost a year? Longer? And then he told someone else to tell us to back off! How is this any different?"

"Because this time we're not asking him to curtail free will," Castiel replied. 

Sam weighed in with, "The real question is, will God resurrect an angel at our request? We might – "

"That's the real question?" Dean interrupted. 

"God knows what's going on. I believe he will help us," Castiel replied, ignoring Dean's comment.

"Because he's been so much help before?" Dean asked.

"He has," this time it was Kevin who spoke. "If you believe nothing else, you know he's brought Castiel back." 

"Right, but that's – " Dean began.

Kevin interrupted. "That's not something that happens for everyone. He didn't bring Channing back, did he?"

Dean felt cowed at the dead girlfriend card, and the room fell silent for several awkward minutes.

"There's one more thing," Kevin said.

"There's more?" Dean asked. 

"To close the Gates of Hell, one person had to become purified and throw the switch."

"Yeah, not fun," Sam interjected.

"But to do this, each trial must be done by a different person, and afterwards, all three must come together and say a spell."

"Okay, so we'll divvy up the trials, I'll take one, Sam takes one, and Cas will – "

"No, Castiel can't do this," Kevin interrupted. "He can assist us, but only humans can actually complete these trials."

"Kev, we don't have a third wheel on hand – " Dean began.

"We could ask Charlie or Garth," Sam suggested.

"No, and hell no," Dean said to his brother.

Both Winchesters started with, "What are you – "

"I'm going to do it," Kevin interrupted them. "I'm going to do the third trial."

The dead girlfriend made Dean feel cowed but that statement made his brain come to a screeching halt.


	3. Flick of the Knife

It took an entire day before the dust settled. 

Dean refused to accept Kevin's involvement; he believed the Winchesters put him in enough danger already. He deserved to be Princeton-boy instead of Prophet-boy. Sam defended Kevin's choice. He had the ability and the right to take on these tasks, and as far as Sam was concerned, the Winchesters owed Kevin any support he wanted.

Castiel stayed out of the fight as much as possible. Technically, humans were supposed to decide this, not angels, and he worried his contribution would be seen as interference rather than aid. 

But the dust did settle. Eventually Dean conceded that the idea was sound, but he still clearly hated the thought of Kevin taking on one of the trials. 

As soon as they were alone, Dean said, "Cas, you need to go with Kevin. You need to have his back, because if anything happens to him – "

"You would feel responsible?" Cas asked.

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because he was our responsibility, and for a year Crowley tormented the crap outta him because he helped us. And now he's got a life again, and he's being pulled back into all this - crap! I told him he could go back to school – "

"And he has, and he's safe there," Cas interrupted him. "Dean, I gave him the tablet because he's the prophet, and in many ways, it belongs to him. He translated it, and he decided that he wanted to take action. He came to you with this not because of your responsibility, but because he trusts you to help him."

Dean's face twisted from anger into confusion then into sadness. 

Cas put his hand on Dean's shoulder and turned his head so their eyes met. "You still have not learned."

"Not learned?" Dean replied, barely audible.

"That not everything is on your shoulders. That not every bad thing that happens is your fault. You have not learned to stop blaming yourself." 

"No, I haven't. I guess I just don't know how to not care."

"It's not about caring," the angel said. "I care."

"What is it then?"

"You take on blame that's not yours. You claim guilt that belongs to others. I used to think it was because of Hell, because of the hole inside yourself. But you've grown beyond that now, now it's – something else."

Dean didn't want to admit what it was, so all he said was, "Yeah, Cas. You're right."

 

Books littered the war room. Hours trickled by as pages turned. Snacks came and went, and occasionally a frustrated word or two would be exchanged. 

"Nothing in here about – "

"Nada about – "

"Absolutely useless unless you're growing herbs."

And so on. The next day passed without any headway. And so did the next. It was day four when someone finally looked up from behind a book. 

"I think I found something – " Dean said. He read out loud, "An innocent soul will burn purple when seen through an object scorched with holy fire." His face fell as he continued, "Only works outside of the plane of the Earth? What the hell does that mean?"

"Means we can't test them," Sam said. "But we've got x-ray specs. And we know they can see hex bags and hell hounds, why not innocent souls?"

"One trial down," Dean confirmed. "Oh, except for getting into Purgatory and back out again."

Sam asked, "Benny didn't have any insight?"

"He told me there are layers to Purgatory, and there's one where all the tame monsters wind up together eventually, but it's not like he gave me directions."

"I'm taking this one," Sam said.

"What? No way – "

"You spent a year in Purgatory chopping off heads looking for an angel. That's something people don't forget," Sam said. "Besides, I wanna call in a favor, and it won't work if you're there."

"What?"

"You remember that reaper you met trying to raise Benny? 

"Uh, Kane. Yeah, he was on a leash."

"Kane," Sam repeated. He asked Kevin, "We don't have to do the trials in order, right?"

"No, order doesn't matter."

"Wait, hold on – " Dean started. "We don't even know if we can finish the others – "

"That's why you're staying, to figure out your trial," Sam said. 

"What if you need backup?" Dean asked.

"I'll go with him," Castiel offered.

As they left, Dean turned to Kevin and asked, "What just happened?"

"Come on, we need to settle on who you're eliminating or whatever."

 

Sam took the remains of the Coptic Cross used to enslave Kane and placed it in a bowl with holy water, six stones (three white, three black), and some kind of greenery that looked like pine needles. Then he took the bowl and placed it over a series of symbols chalked out along the warehouse floor.

Castiel watched as he waited.

Finally the younger Winchester used a match to light a page with Kane's name and dropped it into the bowl, where the fire turned the paper to ash in spite of the water.

Nothing happened. 

"Put the glasses on," Cas instructed.

Sam jammed his holy-fire glasses onto his face, securing them with the tight strap he and Dean added for their tussle with half a dozen hellhounds.

Kane stood in front of him, glowering. "The angel should mind his business," the reaper spat. "I don't answer to humans."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Sam started, "but I need your help."

"My help? The way that witch needed my help?"

"No," Sam said. "I'm not trying to resurrect anyone. I just need help getting into and out of Purgatory."

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" Kane asked.

"I need to free an innocent soul."

"Really? And if that's all you had to do, why not just ask me to do it for you?"

"Because it has to be me."

"And why's that?"

Sam hesitated. 

Kane took that as a bad sign and said, "You wish to retrieve a soul from Purgatory but don't wish to revive the individual it belongs to? Why would anyone do that?"

"Because the soul doesn't belong in Purgatory." 

"He is undergoing a trial," Castiel spoke up. "That is why he can't ask you to perform the task for him."

"A trial?" Kane sounded suspicious. "Why should I believe that?"

"I was the one who closed the Gates of Hell," Sam replied. "I'm not sure what else I can say to make you believe me."

Kane considered this for a moment. "Reapers are not meant to help mortals cross planes. They are not meant to resurrect anyone, either."

"And they're not meant to be on a leash," Sam said. 

"You didn't free me because it was the right thing to do, you freed me because the man who enslaved me was trying to kill your brother."

"Maybe that was true in that moment, but you're not the only reaper my brother and I have helped. I'm not... trying to make you do anything. I'm just looking for some help and thought you'd be my best bet."

Kane didn't reply right away, and several minutes passed in agonizing silence.

"I have conditions," Kane said.

"Okay."

"If you attempt to resurrect the soul from Purgatory, I reap you on the spot."

"Okay, what else?"

Kane seemed comforted by Sam's acceptance of the first condition. He continued, "I cannot protect a mortal body in any plane. If you are injured or killed, I take no responsibility."

"Agreed."

"And the angel cannot come with you," Kane stated with a tone of finality. "A mortal in Purgatory isn't right, but a seraph? That's chaos."

"Okay, how much time do I have?"

"As little as possible," the reaper replied. "And if you're ferrying a soul out of Purgatory – "

"I've done it before," Sam jumped in. "I know how to encase another soul in my own body for transport."

"How did you do it the last time?" Kane inquired.

"There's a portal that transports living humans back to earth. I used that."

"I know that place. I can get you back there, but you must traverse the portal. Otherwise, I'll be no better than... those reapers."

Kane put a special emphasis on the word 'those,' which gave Sam the distinct impression that rogue reapers were the vilest of creatures.

The reaper approached him and touched his head, and Sam's entire body vibrated with electricity. After Kane removed his hand, it all screeched to a halt.

"What was that?"

"A connection, so you can call me when you're ready for the portal," Kane explained. "I'll bring you to Purgatory, but I have charges, I can't stay with you. I've been delayed enough by human tampering."

"I understand," Sam said. He turned to the angel, "Cas, will you take my truck back home? Fill everyone in? With any luck, I'm gunna need a pickup in Maine soon."

The angel nodded and left the room.

"You ready?" Kane asked.

"There is a place, or a level, in Purgatory where all the peaceful monsters wind up. I need to go there."

Kane looked at Sam as if he was impressed. "You know a lot about Purgatory for a human," he remarked dryly. "How is that?"

"I listened to people who are more intelligent than myself," Sam replied. 

"Do not break our pact, Sam Winchester," Kane said as he took his hand. 

"How did you know my name?"

Kane didn't respond. Sam felt the world warp around him, and he found himself again in the long wooded space that was Purgatory.

 

"Maybe we're going about this all wrong," Kevin spoke as he tucked away what felt like his thirtieth book for the day. "All these books talk about traitors who have already been defeated. We need someone who we know is alive right now."

"Well, I only know of one," Dean said.

"Okay, let's – "

"Lucifer."

"Okay, not him," Kevin dropped his head. "But he can't be the only one."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because the trials are suppose to be difficult, not impossible."

 

 _A very long time ago..._ Metatron's hands shook. God revealed so much, and the archangel desperately wanted to know more. For some reason, this desire came with another sensation. Later, he would identify this as 'guilt,' but for now he simply accepted the uncomfortable gnawing as part of his new assignment.

"Metatron," God said, "your hands are shaking."

"Yes, sorry," Metatron replied. Then he asked without provocation, "What does this mean? To be a traitor of Heaven?"

"A traitor of Heaven," God repeated. "That's someone who vowed to serve Heaven, but instead turned against it, and allied with those who would destroy Heaven, Paradise. The betrayal could be a secret shared with an enemy or open disobedience."

Metatron became very aware of everything around him. Sharing a secret could be a betrayal? He'd never considered that before.

"Don't fret, son," God said. "Intention is everything. Many shared their secrets with Lucifer before he fell, not knowing he would turn that knowledge against them. They're not traitors."

"What about humans who take vows?" Metatron asked. "If they break them, are they traitors too?"

God took a thoughtful pause before responding. "It is very easy, sitting where you are, to see the wrong that a broken vow signifies. But humans don't have what you have, and as I said, intention is everything. Those who break vows to betray Heaven are traitors, but most humans who do so do it because they mistake the evil act for happiness. Some even believe they're doing the right thing."

"How?" Metatron asked. "They know right from wrong."

"There is much for you to learn," God said. "Your understanding is precise. Clear. Humans don't have that."

"Why not?"

"Grace is pure Creation," God explained. "Souls, human souls, are raw Energy, not skewed in any direction. That is why two souls can make a third, unique soul."

"But Grace is skewed," Metatron said. "Is that why two angels cannot produce a third?"

"That's one reason of many," God replied. "Human souls might lack the clarity of angels, but they share the same desire: to be whole. It is their choices that lead them one way or the other, ultimately." 

"That sounds terrifying," Metatron said. 

"And extraordinary."

 

Castiel returned in time for lunch.

"Why aren't you with Sam?" Dean asked by way of greeting.

"Kane agreed to assist him, but I couldn't follow. He's in Purgatory now and will need a pick up in Maine soon."

Dean's initial impulse was to rush after Sam; Purgatory was no place for people, let alone his little brother. Of course, he'd managed before, and Castiel seemed unworried. 

"You think he's okay?" 

"I do. He asked me to return here and assist you."

"Look at this," Kevin indicated the three white boards they'd filled with notes.

"A list of traitors and enemies of Heaven?" Castiel commented. "What is this for?"

"We need a traitor who is alive right now," Dean explained. "All these book list people who've been ganked or trapped."

"A traitor of Heaven would be anyone originally aligned with Heaven who betrayed that allegiance to support another cause," Cas said simply. "I could have told you that."

"Not exactly. You don't qualify," Dean said to Castiel. 

The angel tilted his head inquisitively. 

"You didn't do what the other angels wanted you to," Dean said. "Does that qualify you as a traitor to Heaven?"

Castiel blinked slowly. "I see your point. Anyone who fought on my side in the civil war would qualify – "

Dean cut Castiel off. "No, they wouldn't, Cas. You don't qualify as a traitor to Heaven. You didn't ally yourself against it."

"That eliminates a great many targets," the angel replied. "Are you certain?"

"We are. We need someone who, like you said, originally was allied to Heaven, either by creation or by oath, who allied against it."

"What about Fate?" Castiel suggested.

"Sorry, who?" Dean asked.

"You mean the woman who helped Crowley kidnap me?" Kevin asked. 

"Lachesis," Cas said. "Yes, she and her sisters were appointed by God. They aligned with Heaven, but Lachesis joined with Crowley."

"But that was after the Apocalypse fell apart," Dean said. "Her job was done, wasn't it?"

"No, the sisters continued to work with Heaven. After the civil war they managed to scrape out their roles again. I imagine neither of her sisters are fairing well without her."

"So right now, on the list of living traitors of Heaven, we so far have the Devil and Fate. Literally."

"Unfortunately," Cas said, "all the angels that aided Crowley or Lucifier were killed."

"What about a rogue cupid?" Kevin suggested. 

"What about people?" Dean asked. "Kevin found a priest who turned witch. He took an oath to Heaven and broke it for Hell. Right?"

"Perhaps," Castiel said. "But we would need absolute certainty that this human betrayed Heaven after taking a vow, and I don't think killing would be appropriate. It would have to be conversion."

"Conversion?"

"Turning the human back to God's work, back to the vow," said the angel. "And we'd have to be certain that the conversion is true. And by we, I mean you Dean."

"Awesome," Dean said. "You're saying it might be easier to gank Fate than to turn a single person back to a vow?"

"Humans don't just lie to each other, Dean, they lie to themselves," Cas replied. "You need to know another human's heart to know if they have truly turned back to God, and I know of nothing that will allow you to do that."

"If we find a priest-turned-witch, I could just kill him," Dean suggested.

"Castiel is right," Kevin said. "Humans are too messy to make that work. I think we should focus on Lachesis."

"Can we even kill her?" Dean asked Castiel. "She's Fate - "

"We shouldn't," Kevin interrupted.

"What do you suggest?" Cas asked. 

The prophet replied, "You said she's got sisters. They're not fairing well without her."

"Indeed."

"Then maybe she needs a family reunion. A reminder of her past work. She doesn't need to die; she just can't be a traitor anymore."

Cas seemed impressed. "That would prevent Nona and Atropos from retaliation."

"And you think this bitch is just gonna sign up all over again? She left for a reason," Dean said.

"I suspect that, should her sisters fail to bring her back to Heaven, they will accept her death," the angel replied.

"You suspect? That's comforting."

Kevin dug out books on fate, the Fates, and anything that could reference the three sisters.


	4. No Man's Land

Dean and Cas rolled out in Sam's pickup truck.

"Where're we going?" Dean asked as soon as he got to the main road. 

"You should of let me drive," Cas said. "You'll be disgruntled at my directions – "

"Cas!"

"Right," the angel replied. "Then get on the highway, heading north."

"What's the final destination?"

"A no man's land."

"Explain, Cas, explain."

"Atropos and Nona can be summoned separately anywhere, but together they need to be summoned in a no man's land, either natural or supernatural."

When he didn't elaborate further, Dean replied, "Which means?"

"There is one in the badlands of South Dakota," Cas said. "You can summon them there."

"But you'll be ready to help Kevin or Sammy if they need it?" Dean asked.

"Yes."

"You're sure."

"You're grating when you feel like you're not in control," Castiel commented. 

"I'm worried," Dean said. "People I care about are in mortal danger, and I'm summoning two of three Fates – "

"Not in control," Cas said, "which, incidentally, is actually all the time. You're just acutely aware of it right now."

"Cas, did you just give me attitude?" 

"If by attitude you mean I asserted a truth you didn't want to hear – "

"That's not what it means – "

"Then the answer is no, I did not give you attitude."

"You just did it again."

"Expressed an truth you didn't want to hear?"

"No – it's not what you say, Cas. Attitude is how you say it," Dean thought for a moment. "Here's a for-instance: you say no man's land as if it's an obvious, everyone-knows-it kinda thing." He added as much attitude as he could to his statement since he couldn't come up with anything better.

"You also asserted a truth, so is that part of this, uh, attitude?" Cas asked.

"No – " Dean gave up, "Ask Sam when he gets back."

"You need to turn left up here."

"This one?" Dean said slowing down.

"No, the next one – "

"Com'on..."

 

Kevin Tran picked up a book squirreled away behind several others on a shelf. It was a hunter's journal. He opened to the first page. It was Sam Winchester's hunter's journal. 

"No way," he whispered to himself. Some of the pages had napkin notes pined to them; others had printed text stapled across them. 

The first sections of the book, dated 2005 to 2007, were all hand-written, but every entry had the essence of age, a hindsight. Clearly Sam had transcribed his notes into entries for those years, but the proceeding years were tied together like a quilt.

He noticed a small note on the front page: SEE JOURNAL I FOR PRE-STANFORD YEARS. Apparently Sam's childhood and teen hunting was elsewhere.

Kevin flipped through 2007 and most of 2008, until he came to the entry on Dean's resurrection. Thinking this would be a good place to start, he began reading about the Apocalypse through Sam's eyes.

 

Kane took Sam deep into Purgatory. He felt the heat of bodies – or souls, perhaps – passing by him, as they rolled deeper and deeper until – 

It stopped abruptly. They stood in an overcast field with gray butterflies here and there.

"Are we there?"

"Yes. Call when you're ready to leave," Kane said right before he vanished.

Sam moved towards the trees; he felt vulnerable out in the open. No sooner had he reached cover than a voice caught his ear.

"Sam."

"Lenore?" he said. "Is that you?"

She moved beyond her place in the bushes, and Sam's glasses revealed a cerulean glow emanating from her. Lenore had fed as a vampire on earth. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "You can't be here. Not like this."

"I'm not here to cause trouble, I just – I kinda have a mission," Sam floundered. "I need to find an innocent soul."

She flinched. "You assume you can find one here?"

"My best bet," Sam replied. "Will you help me?"

Lenore glared at him, her pupils dilating. "I can't. I haven't been around human blood since - forever. Get away from me!"

Sam headed deeper into the trees.

"Not that way," she barked. "Go back into the field, opposite direction, keep going. There's an encampment there, maybe they can help you."

"I'm sorry," he said as he left. "Thank you, again, Lenore."

 

Dean pulled the truck over in the middle of nowhere South Dakota. The rocks of the badlands cast creepy, odd-shaped shadows across the basin.

"Here? Really? This place is a horror film waiting to happen," Dean said. 

"You'll need to blend these and cast this over the mix," Cas instructed. 

"When did you get so bossy?"

Cas tilted his head. "You asked me to – "

"Never mind."

"You seem unhappy," Cas observed. 

"I'm – fine."

Dean busied himself setting up the summoning ritual. Cas grasped his shoulder to stop him mid-way. He asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm not used to working alone, I guess," Dean said quietly.

"You're not alone."

"I'm doing this alone," he said. "Sam's doing his thing alone. Kev's gonna try to chat with God. And you're holding down the fort."

"This makes you upset?"

"I told him he'd have a real life," Dean began. When Cas made no response, he continued, "Sam, I mean. I said after we killed yellow eyes – Azazel, whatever the hell his name was – I said he could get his revenge and go back to his normal life. Well, didn't say it so much as - he knew."

Castiel still said nothing.

"You know I promise Kev the same thing," Dean continued. "After we shut the Gates of Hell, he could be a mathlete again. Instead he's spending his winter break trying to find God to resurrect an angel."

"He's happy," Cas pointed out. "They both are."

"They're making the best of what they've been stuck with."

"Isn't that what everyone does?" 

Dean didn't respond. He went back to setting up the summoning ritual. 

"What's the incantation?" he asked Cas.

 

Six hours. Hundreds of pages. Kevin felt sure he read a hundred years worth of history.

Two things bothered him about Sam's journal. One, the odd references to demon blood pissed him off and confused him. Two, there were two angels mentioned specifically by Sam in his journal that he should've brought up during their powwow. 

The day was ending, and Kevin found himself restless. No one had called to check in, and he was bored. So Kevin decided he should do something now. Sam wrote about meeting an angel in Heaven who spoke to God, and that seemed like the guy to talk to. Joshua, that was his name. 

Kevin bagged what he needed and headed out. He didn't go very far. He didn't want to take the Impala, and he didn't have his own car. He hitched into town to find a car service.

 

Purgatory seemed oddly quiet and empty. Maybe this section had fewer inhabitance, or maybe none of them dare approach a full-blooded human. Whatever the reason, it made the journey lonely and terrifying in a way Sam would have never predicted. He moved through the trees noiselessly, gripping tightly to the demon knife.

"What could you possibly be doing here?" 

Sam spun around. A young man stood in front of him; his soul glowed orange. 

"I'm Sam," he said, "and I was told there was an encampment in this direction."

"Jones," said the man. "Your information is correct, but that's not what I asked."

"I'm on a mission to set something right," Sam replied. "That encampment is my best bet."

"He's okay," said a female voice. 

"He's human and he's alive," Jones protested.

"I know him," the voice repeated. She appeared suddenly, like she just popped into existence. "Sam, I like your glasses."

"Madison," he said. Her soul burned red.

"You shouldn't be here," she insisted. 

"I know, I'm not trying to make trouble, but I need to – "

"Set something right," Jones mocked Sam. "So he says."

"You're here for someone?" Madison asked.

"An innocent soul."

Madison said something to Jones. He transformed into something and ran off on all fours.

"Jones is a little... wary of hunters," Madison explained. "It's nice to see you."

"And you," Sam said. "Madison, you don't know how much I was you were the one I've come for."

"But I'm not innocent, no one here is," she explained. "Our encampment is peaceful. That doesn't mean we're not monsters."

"There's no one?" Sam asked. 

"No one in this direction," she said. "Your best bet is to head due South," she pointed for him. "But even there, I don't think you'll find anyone."

Sam wanted to take Madison out of here; it hadn't been her fault. She didn't know that she was a werewolf when she was alive. 

"Look, you might not be the soul I'm looking for, but you don't belong here," Sam said. "Come with me."

"With you? Where?"

"I can pull souls out of here, let them go on to Heaven," Sam said. "You didn't know, and as soon as you realized you couldn't be cured, you asked me to stop you. You're a good person."

"You know that qualifies a lot of late-generation werewolves," Madison replied. "Why do I get special treatment?"

"Because you are a good person."

She considered it for a moment. "I want to go with you, but it sounds too good to be true."

"I've done it before. I pulled a soul out of Hell," Sam said, "It can be done. You just gotta trust me."

"You still need to find another soul, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah I do."

"I'll escort you. It'll give me time to think."

"Sounds good," Sam replied. He headed due south with his new companion.

 

It took Dean four tries to cast the summoning spell correctly. Castiel waited over in the truck, putting several yards between the two.

"Tempting fate is one thing," Atropos said. 

"Summoning two fates with your history," Nona continued, "that's suicide."

"We haven't met," Dean said to both of them. "I'm Dean."

"Atropos."

"Nona."

Atropos continued, "And we have met, actually."

"The fire bomb explosion," Dean remembered, "good times."

"I see you've still got an angel up your sleeve," Nona said, indicating Castiel. "Why isn't here out here with you?"

"This isn't about me or you – "

"Isn't it?" Atropos cut him off.

"This is about your sister, Lachesis."

"What about her?" Nona asked. 

Dean swallowed hard. "You know she worked for Crowley, don't you?"

Atropos's hackles raised. "How dare you – "

"She kidnapped the Prophet and drugged him with some kind of venom," Dean interrupted her. 

Atropos moved in on Dean, grabbing him by the collar and picking his feet up off the grown. "Where do you get off speaking about my sister like that?"

"Put him down, Atropos," Nona said. "He's right."

Dean's feet touched the ground again, but Atropos didn't loosen her grip on him.

She said to Nona, "That can't be right."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Atropos turned on Dean, "The only reason she'd do anything like that is because of you. We had a job. We worked hard, and then you and your brother and your pet angel destroyed everything."

"Yeah, about that – " Dean began, but his voice choked as Atropos lifted him off the ground.

Cas elbowed her away from his hunter. Atropos stumbled into Nona, who caught her gracefully.

"We didn't come here to fight," Castiel said.

"No?" Nona asked. "Just to chat about the most painful topic you could think of? Convince us it's not your fault?"

"We wanted to help you get Lachesis back," Dean rasped out. 

"Dean Winchester, famous anti-Fate junkie wants to help us? Somehow I doubt that," Nona replied. 

"Look, I don't know – " Dean began.

"What you did to piss us off?" Atropos cut him off again. "You rendered our existence completely useless. We've been reduced to almost nothing. And it's not just us, pet. It's pretty much everyone. The cupids – "

"Woah, wait," Dean barked. "You're fate, right? The three of you together are Fate. By definition, your existence creates meaning."

"Sounds nice on paper, but without a master plan, our job's arbitrary," Nona said. 

"Well, I can't give you a master plan or any of that crap," Dean said. "But getting your sister back? That's something I can do."

"Then why don't you?" Atropos asked.

"Okay, sister, normally I gank the people who kidnap or injure the prophet, you understand?"

"So you want us to believe you're making a special exception?" Nona asked.

"No, killing her is out of my league," Dean admitted. "Cas can pull it off, sure, but I imagine that wouldn't sit well with either of you. Not so much charity as much as protecting my own ass."

"Like always," Atropos replied.

"I can get her here," Dean explained. "But the only thing that'll bring her back to her senses is talking to you two. And if that can't be done – "

"You'll get your angel buddy to kill her?" Nona asked.

"No," Dean said. "But it's only a matter of time before the ass-monkeys up in Heaven figure this out and put a price on her head. That's not one angel. That's dozens."

Atropos turned to her sister, "We don't need his help."

Nona replied, "Maybe we don't, but if it means getting Lachesis to come home..."

The two fates shared some sort of silent sister moment. Dean waited.


	5. Make the Stand

Kevin ended up in an abandoned structure about half a mile from a remote motel. It looked like it once was an old coffee or pastry shop.

His hands shook as he set up the summoning spell. He wasn't sure if this was nerves or fear or some combination of the two, but he never summoned an angel before. He had prayed to Castiel but that wasn't the same.

Kevin lit a match and tossed it onto the bowl. 

Wind picked up, and thunder rolled. The makeshift construction lights flickered. 

A middle aged black man stood before Kevin, his eyes curious and his smile warm. 

"Joshua?" he asked.

"Yes, Kevin," the angel replied. 

"Hi, I uh, needed to speak with you – "

"I know," Joshua said simply. 

"You know?" Kevin repeated. 

"I'm sorry, but my absence won't go unnoticed, so I have to make this meeting as brief as possible."

"Okay, well I – "

"Want to speak with God," Joshua completed. "He told me. Let me speak, Kevin. He agreed to speak with you, but it must be done at an intermediary station; humans cannot handle any kind of face-to-face. You need to write down these coordinates."

Kevin pulled out paper and a pen. He scribbled down the numbers and letters just as Joshua dictated them and squirreled the note away in the inseam pocket of his coat. 

"When you get there," Joshua continued, "there is a barrier. I can't be more specific. For some it's invisible. For others it's dense trees. I can't tell you what you will see, but you and only you can step into that space. Anyone else, and God will not speak to you. Do you understand?"

Kevin nodded. "Of the barrier is invisible," he asked, "how will I know if the person is outside the barrier?"

"Trust that you will know," the angel replied. "I'm sorry, but you need to go before the others find me with you."

Joshua touched Kevin's forehead with two fingers, and he found himself in a bathroom stall. 

"Joshua?" he whispered. No one responded. 

Kevin stepped out of the stall and pushed through the door. Joshua had teleported him into the bathroom of some bus station. At least finding his way home would remain uncomplicated.

 

Sam and Madison made their way through heavy brush as they continued South.

"Is it always like this?" Sam asked.

"In the South, yes."

It seemed like hours passed. Unlike the section of Purgatory Sam had been in before, time slipped away quickly here.

"Up ahead," Madison said. "There's one."

"One what?" 

"A phoenix," she replied. "Shifters and phoenixes share a common core."

"Core?"

"Free will, choice," she explained. "They don't have hunger, they don't need to kill to survive."

"You sound like an expert," Sam said.

"When you've been here long enough, that's what happens."

"Hello!" Sam called as they closed in on the phoenix. 

"Uh, human," said the phoenix.

"Sam," he introduced. "And you..?"

But Sam didn't have to ask. He recognized this guy, even with the purple haze around him. His name was Elias Finch; Dean killed him with the Colt for his ash, which was the only thing known to harm Eve. 

"Elias," the phoenix introduced himself, "Elias Finch." He spoke to Madison, "What do you want? I don't bother you, you don't bother me. That was the agreement."

"You might wanna hear him out," Madison said. 

"Why's that?" Elias shot at Sam.

"I'm here to set something right," Sam repeated. 

"You. Your brother's the one that shot me."

"Yeah," Sam said, "and I know, you don't belong here."

"No, I don't. I should be alive!"

"I can't bring you back to life," Sam said apologetically. "But – "

"But what? I didn't hurt anyone, ever. I had a wife, a life, and – "

"I know. I believe you," Sam interrupted. "Your wife, she was murdered. I remember that. Don't you want to see her again?"

That shut Elias's mouth.

"Look, I'm here to take an innocent soul, like yours, and deliver it to Heaven."

"Why should I believe you?"

"I'm a living human hanging out in Purgatory for one thing."

"Whole lotta crazy been goin' down lately. That means nothing."

"And I've done it before," Sam said. "Pulled a soul outta Hell."

"Sure you did. Did your brother murder that guy too?"

"I guess the real question is, what do you have left to lose?" Sam asked. "If I'm full of crap, what happens? Nothing. You stay here. If I'm telling you the truth, you leave this place. You see your wife again."

Elias considered Sam for a moment. He asked, "What I do I need to do?"

 

Kevin boarded a bus to Concordia, Kansas. Joshua had zapped him all the way to Kansas City. It would be helpful if he explained why, but Kevin learned that angels omitted the why even if they did know it because they saw it as superfluous. 

He sat in the isle seat in the first row. 

A woman passed him to three seats behind, and Kevin found himself oddly aware of her, as if she glowed. 

"This is the eleven ten to Concordia," the bus driver announced. 

"Concordia?" Kevin repeated.

"Yes, with stops at Lawrence, Topeka, Junction City, Salina, and – "

Kevin stood up and took his bag. He realized why the woman caught his eye; she was an angel. He nodded to the driver and exited. Unless she feigned wrong-bus too, the angel wouldn't be able to subtlety follow him. 

He made his way over to the bathroom. Another woman glowed not too far from him. How many angels were here?

Kevin popped into a bathroom stall and silently prayed. "Castiel, I'm in the third stall in the men's bathroom in the Kansas City, Kansas main bus station. Angels are after me. Any chance for a lift?"

 

Dean waited as Nona and Atropos conversed apart.

"Dean," Cas said. "Kevin's calling me."

"What's up?"

"He's in a bus station – " the angel began.

"What?" Dean interjected. 

"Angels are - " 

"Go, get him back to the Bunker, okay?"

Castiel nodded and teleported out.

 

Sam had contained Madison's soul in his left arm and Elias's in his right. 

"Kane!" he yelled. "Kane!"

Sam didn't see the reaper appear, but the sensation of a hand on his shoulder made him aware of his presence. The world moved around him, and suddenly he stood at Purgatory's gateway.

"You said you needed one soul," Kane whispered. "Then why do you carry two?"

"You want me to bother you again?" Sam asked. 

"You promised – "

"I'm not raising either of them."

"If you do, I will know."

Sam didn't waste time with small talk. He ran to the opening portal and climbed the rocky surface. His urgency seemed unwarranted, though, as the entire area was deserted. He cast his eyes around to be certain no one was closing in on him.

 

Nona asked, "Where did your winged friend go off too?"

"Prophets are high maintenance," Dean replied. 

"That doesn't answer the question," Atropos said.

"The prophet called for his help, so he left."

"And he left you here with us?" Nona asked. 

"Yes," Dean replied. "Angels can't summon your sister, only a human can. So, are we doing this?"

Atropos nodded. "Summon her."

Dean pulled out a vial of Kevin's blood and poured it over the summoning spell he used for Nona and Atropos as he whispered Lachesis's name seven times. 

Once he finished, he said, "It takes until the fire burns down to be complete." 

"I see," Atropos replied. "That's good."

"But you should know, that's not what I meant before," Nona said. "About the angel leaving you here."

Atropos added, "She meant, why would your winged buddy leave you here unless he wanted us to have some fun?"

She waved her hand. Dean's legs became jelly, and he collapsed to the floor. 

Nona said, "Here's our plan. We use you to get your brother and your angel to come back, and we take out all our frustrations on you three. One for each of us."

"I think that'll make Lachesis feel better," Atropos said. 

Nona knocked Dean over the head, and he knew no more.


End file.
